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Gfp file

PostPosted: Sun Apr 01, 2018 7:22 pm
by reecemj
Steve could the gfp file show the ICAO instead of a waypoint for the airports when loaded into F1 GTN?
Little navmap loads it like that and the waypoints are save as user waypoints in case there is a conflict with the data. Thanks.

Re: Gfp file

PostPosted: Mon Apr 02, 2018 3:12 am
by Steve Waite
IF was first to provide plans for the GTN with any waypoints.

Remember that IF outputs TOC, TOD, TDWN and other user waypoints that have the same name in each plan but appear anywhere. So these user waypoints are waypoints that are set in the User Data. You start the flight, load the user waypoints then load the plan.

The waypoints that exist in the GTN you see the details, the user waypoints have no details.

The export types for the GTN are:

GTN .gfp
GTN User Data

check both items - make sure the paths are correct for your install - build the flight - start the flight - load the user waypoints - load the plan.

So now you get all the waypoints including any missing waypoints of the GTN plus the IDF, Computed approach and TOC/TOD in the GTN plan. This replaces the User Waypoints table each plan so you do not need to keep the wayponts.

Re: Gfp file

PostPosted: Mon Apr 02, 2018 3:19 am
by Steve Waite
If the GTN User Data export is not selected plans are the same but do not carry the user waypoints in the plan and the plan looks like any normal GTN plan showing the ICAOs as you expect.

Since you may be building plans that have waypoints that do not exists in the GTN these won't be seen in the plan.

That's why IF introduced the complete User data table so that *all* waypoints appear in the plan. So all waypoints are designated User Waypoints and the ones that exist in the GTN show the ICAO.

The other way will not show missing waypoints and the plan will ignore them.

Re: Gfp file

PostPosted: Mon Apr 02, 2018 3:36 am
by Steve Waite
Why does IF do it this way - to include all waypoints in a plan as User waypoints - rather than like LittleNavMap and SimStarter that came out after IF using a mix of waypoints and User waypoints?

The general gfp plan uses the waypoint names and the plan goes from waypoint to waypoint so long as the waypoint names exist in the GTN database. The Lat/Lon from that GTN data is used.

Instead Ideal Flight Exports make all waypoints in the plan user waypoints and INCLUDES the Lat/Lon from the navdata you are using to make the plan. This is a much better way because you are seeing the real plan not the GTN version.

I could add a third option to do it like the other apps in the normal way but I wouldn't use it myself - what do you think?

Re: Gfp file

PostPosted: Mon Apr 02, 2018 3:59 am
by Steve Waite
In short:

To use P3D and FSX effectively we need a .PLN for P3D and we need a .gfp corresponding to the plan to load into the GTN.

The problem with converting plans for the GTN is that if our navdata is different to the current data in the GTN then some components of the plan might be ignored if they don't exist in the GTN and if they do exist in the GTN then the GTN Lat/Lon is used which might be different to our plan.

To get round this we use a planner that outputs all waypoints as user data and the plan is exactly the plan we are using. If the ICAO exists in the GTN we see the info even though it is sent as User data.

Re: Gfp file

PostPosted: Mon Apr 02, 2018 4:40 am
by Steve Waite
...note about airport ICAO and waypoint in IF:

The airport waypoint is not the airport in IF, the airport is located nearby the runway end - the true waypoint. And so we use the runway rather than the given Lat/Lon of the airport and use the User waypoint instead of the airport ICAO. It is better than any other plan available.

Re: Gfp file

PostPosted: Mon Apr 02, 2018 9:21 am
by reecemj
Now I understand how the gfp are created we leave it as it is. Thanks.

Re: Gfp file

PostPosted: Mon Apr 02, 2018 9:24 am
by Steve Waite
Yes good idea!
:D